Protective apparatus for orchards, gardens, and the like.



G. A. LOWRY.

PROTECTIVE APPARATUS FOR ORGHARDS, GARDENS, AND THE LIKE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 10, 1911.

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' GEORGE A. Lowiw, ormrlnnm'. MASSACHUSETT.

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Patented Aug. 20,1912,

Application filed July 10 1 911. Serial No, 637,683.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, GEORGE A. LowRY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Malden, in thecounty of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Protective Apparatus' for Orchards, Gardens, and the Like, 'of which the following is a specifica tion'.

istopr'oduce, and maintainheat and dense smoke in orchards and gardens which are sensitive and occasionally exposed to frost, though the construction of the fuel distributing system is such that with easy read.

justment it can be employed for irrigation or spraying. These objects, particularly the preservation of the orchard or garden from 1 frost are attained with economy of fueland labor for reasons which will transpire. In the drawings hereto annexed which illustrate an example of my invention,-

Figure 1 represents, in perspective, the general arrangement of'the protective system;

F ig, 2 is a detail, showing a fuel pipe, fire pan, and holding clip in cross section; Fig.

3 a detail similar to. Fig.' 2, showing a fire pan removed from the holding clip;

Fig. 4 is a detail showing one of the fuel taps in longitudinal section; and Fig 5 is a detail on a larger scale, showing a section of the tap-plug, on line 55 of Fig. 4.

The apparatus comprises a fuel tank marked'A, the fuel employed being preferably crude petroleum or some other cheap liquid'fuel. In order to insure the proper I fluidity "of the fuel, a heater B is placed nearthe tank A, this heater containinga coil B with a circulating return B so that the fuel is warmed not only in the coil but in the tank A also. A main pipe 0 provided' with a controlling valve or shut oif C leadfrom the coil B across the orchard or garden and from the pipe C distributing pipes D branch ofl at proper intervals.

' These distributing pipes are-supported as by metal stakes E and at suitable intervals are provided with taps at F. These taps consist of ordinary T connections which screw to the pipe D at F. and are provided with plugs G threaded intothe lateral branches of the Ts, these plugs being preferably composed of brass or other non-corrodible metal.. The threaded plugs G have each a lateral slit g'about a thirty-second of an inch injwidth, the back wall of the The primary function of this apparatus valve C closed and the i'fi're pans-Iwarease cured upside. down j in theclipsT-I so to of the plants themselves in the, orchard or in the'fire pans.

slit extending-diagonally downward so that the-slits increase in section downwardly. At the top of the plug which issquared asat gthe clip, H isiplac'ed, this clip being provided with resilient hooked ends h to receive andv retain the fire pan I when the latter is not'in use to reecive fuel. The clips H thus perform the function" of wrenches to turn the plug G up or down and thus toregulate the size ofthe fuel aperture provided by; the slit 9; f 5 When the, apparatus is prepared :for use the tank A .is filled with liquid fuel,i-the sh elt'er the jtaps 1 F andthe fuel TJ. which is some easily inflammable material such as'oakuinti'ed -t-o--the "pipes D- loosely with'inflammable cord which will allow the,

C is opened andthe men proceed to remove the fire pans I fromwthe clips H placing them under the fuel outlets and i itmg the primers J which first warm the pipes in the neighborhood, of the fuel outlets and then fall to the pans I where they ignite the fuel which presently emerges from the outlets g and dripsv into the pans. The pans being shallow and the supply of oil coming in regular isolatedquantities, there is no opportunity-for a large body ofoil to become heated so as'to give ofi ga'sesat high temperature which burn with a 'small amount of smoke." The shallow pans give a maximum of dense blacksmoke which, as much as the heat evolved, serves to protect the vegetation from frost,-since it acts as a blanket to retain the earth-heat and the heat garden. Thevegetation itself-iskept warm by this same protective agency independently or'in addition to the actual raising of the temperatur e bymeans of the fuel burned The location-- of the fueloutlets at the top .oftlieTs F is important since in'this I primers J to fallas soon as the securing. cord I from one to the other without having to place and remove a wrench.

If at any time it is desired to drain the pipes of 011 fuel the Ts F can simply be given a half turn downward.

To use the pipe system as an irrigation or sprayin apparatus, the nozzle'plugs g are adjuste so as to direct a stream upon the tree or plant adjacent, the shut off valve C is closed and the branch connection M placed in communication with a water supply or pump. The clips H are so placed as to lie transverse to the slit 9 so that when the apparatus is used to irrigate or spray the clips will not interfere with the jets.

By means'of this apparatus the protective combustion need not'be started until the last minute, the fuel conveys itself automatically instead of having to be carried in barrels or cans, much less fuel is used than according tothe methods heretofore practised, and when the atmospheric temperature 7 has ceased to endanger the crop the operation can be instantly checked. What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In protective apparatus for orchards, gardens, and the like, the combination of a reservoir adapted to contain liquid fuel, a

pipe system in communication with the res-- ervoir, regulable taps at intervals in thepipe system comprising apertures directed upward, and fire pans below, and unconnected with the taps. V

2. In protective apparatus for orchards, gardens and the like, the combination of a reservoir adapted to contain liquid fuel, a

pipe system in communication with the reservoir, regulable taps at intervals in the p1pe system consisting of Ts' threaded to the pipes of the system, with threaded branches extending upward, and threaded .laterally, the slots increasing. in section.

plugs in said branches, each plug slotted downwardly, and fire pans at the taps.

3. In protective apparatus for orchards,

V gardens and the like, the combination of a reservoir adapted to contain'liquid fuel, a

I pipe system in communication-with the respipe system, pan-clips mounted adjacent to ervoir, regulable taps at intervals in the each tap, and fire-pans" adapted to be held nverted by the clips on the .taps. 4. In protective apparatus for orchards,

gardens and the like, the combination of a reservoir adapted to contain liquid fuel, means'to heat the fuel at the reservoir, a pipe system in communication with the reservoir, regulable taps at. intervals in the pipe system, pan clips mounted adjacent to each tap, and fire pans adapted to beheld inverted by theclips on the taps.

5. In protective apparatus for orchards, gardens and the like, the combination of a reservoir adapted to contain liquid fuel, a pipe system in communication with the reservoir, regulable taps at intervals in the pipe system, consisting of Ts threaded to the pipes of the system having fuel apertures on their upper portions, pan-clips mounted adjacentto each tap, and fire-pans adapted to be held inverted bythe clips on' the taps.

6. In protective apparatus for orchards, gardens and the like, the combination of a reservoir adapted to contain liquid fuel, a pipe system in communication with the res ervoir, regulable taps at intervals in the pipe system consisting of Ts threaded to the pipes of the system, with threaded branches extending upward, and threaded plugs in said branches, each plug slotted laterally, theslots increasing in section downwardly, pan-clips secured like keys to the threaded plugs, and fire-pans adapted to be held inverted by the clips on the taps.

7. In protective apparatus for orchards, gardens and the like, the combination of a reservoir adapted ,to contain liquid fuel, a pipe system in communication with the reservoir, regulable taps at intervals in thepipe system, a normally closed branch p1pe between the reservoir and the pipe system, adapted to connect with an alternative fluidsupply, and a cut off between said branch and the fuel reservoir.

8. In protective apparatus for orchards, gardens and the like, the combination of a reservoir adapted to contain liquid fuel, a pipe system in communication with the reservoir, regulable taps at intervals in the pipe system, fire-pans at the taps, and readthe pipes at the taps.

9. In protective apparatus for orchards, gardens and the like, the combination of a reservoir adapted to contain hquld fuel,

means to heat the liquid fuel at the reservoir,

pipe system, consisting of Ts threaded to the pipes of the system having fuel aperily inflammable priming material secured to a pipe system in communication with the ervoir, regulable taps at intervals in the tures on their upper portions, fire-pans at the taps, and readily inflammable priming material secured to the pipes at the taps.

11. In protective apparatus for orchards, gardens and the like, the combination of a reservoir adapted to contain liquid fuel, a pipe system in communication with the reservoir, regulable taps at intervals in the pipe system, consistlng of Ts threaded to the pipes of the system, with threaded branches extending upward and threaded plugs in said branches, each plug slotted lat erally, the slots increasing in section downwardly, fire-pans at the taps, and readily inflammable priming material secured to the pipes at the taps.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this first day of July 1911. 1

GEORGE A. LOWRY. Witnesses:

Crmnnns D. 'WOODBERBY, J osnrnmn H. RYAN. 

